Arlesdale Tales
by bbll22
Summary: On the Arlesdale Railway, there is as much activity as there is on the Fat Controller's, so do enjoy these tales of the small engines including 'Frank Gets Cross' and 'Tea Rex'. I really hope you do enjoy, and please do review!
1. Frank Gets Cross

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Frank Gets Cross**

It was morning on the Arlesdale Railway, and all the little engines woke up with a busy schedule ahead of them. Rex, the green engine would be busy helping load sheep onto carriages to take them to the market. Bert, the blue engine would taking up the duty of delivering coal, while Mike, the red engine was with passengers all day. Jock, the yellow engine would just be generally helping around. Frank, the grey diesel on the railway had just returned from the menders after a few issues has arisen with his diesel intake. His return wasn't greeted with cheers and celebrations as everyone else was at work. This made Frank cross, but then he heard a horn, a diesel horn, and it wasn't his. He quickly looked round and then all of a sudden, a diesel passed him. It was a new diesel.

"Who's that?" questioned Frank to his driver.

"That..." replied his driver "...is a British Rail Class ES1 Diesel, but because she helps out with the Beekeepers, everyone calls her Honey"

"Honey? What sort of a name is that?" replied Frank. His driver didn't reply, he didn't want to make him even crosser. So, he set him off, and made their way to do their duties.

Later that day, Frank was having a rest at the station as his diesel intake problem appeared to be flaring up once again. Mike and Rex were at the sheds and could clearly see he was in some difficulty.

"Oh dear..." commented Rex

"We might have to get in contact with the Small Controller if this continued..." added Mike. They then changed their topic of conversation, but before they could even get started, they heard a shriek from the station.

"AAARRGGGHHHH!" cried out Frank. He was in severe pain now. His face went bright red and his eyes kept spinning around as his angered expression dominated his face. His driver immediately came over to him to try and calm him down, but it was no use.

"CURSES! The menders lied to me! They said I was better now, and look at me, I worse than I was before!" said Frank is an angry tone.

"Well there is a reason for that Frank" replied his driver...

"And what would that be?" questioned Frank is an aggressive tone.

"You've been too forceful with all your work today...you almost broke a couple of trucks. The Small Controller won't be happy at all! If you carry on like this, Honey will probably take over your duties permanently!" This wasn't a good thing to say to Frank, especially when he was in such an angry mood. Once again, Frank's face went bright red, and he let out an angry roar.

"AAARRGGGHHHH!" This time, it was loud enough for Jock and Bert to hear, and they were at the other end of the railway.

"Oh no..." remarked Jock.

"Frank is most definitely back" added Bert. Infact, Frank's roar of anger was even loud enough to bring the Small Controller out of his office. He quickly came to the station where Frank was and stood there, arms folded, he wasn't best pleased at all...

"Mr. Duncan" said Frank's driver. "What a pleasant surprise!" The Small Controller, known as Mr. Fergus Duncan to close friends wasn't in the mood for a joke at all, and this was becoming even more noticeable to Frank. His red face was immediately calming down and reverting to its usual grey look, and his grimace immediately turned to a fixed, blank expression. Frank knew he was in trouble, but he didn't know by how much.

"Frank!" boomed the Small Controller. "Your fits of anger have no right to be on this railway! If these fits do continue into the near future and even after that, your position here will be at serious risk. I do not like to get rid of engines or diesels on this line, but with you, I may have to consider it" he then added. Frank's blank expression soon turned into a frown, he didn't want to leave the railway, he liked working here, he just felt that with his troubles with diesel intake and the arrival of Honey, he felt his place was now compromised. Then, Frank heard a diesel horn, it was Honey's. She'd just arrived at the station and had no idea of the commotion that had unfolded.

"Is there a problem, Sir?" she asked to the Small Controller.

"Indeed" he replied. "Frank here believes that you have compromised his place on this railway. Now all I ask of you is to set out an agreement with Frank so that once he is fully repaired, you two can work together and this railway, in harmony." he then added. The Small Controller, and everyone else at the station left while Frank and Honey sorted out an agreement. The Small Controller soon returned as found both of the diesels smiling.

"Sort out an agreement, I gather?" he asked with some sarcasm.

"Indeed, Sir" replied Frank.

"It was a lot easier than expected!" added Honey. This made the Small Controller smirk, he then made his way back to his office, and whistled a tune to occupy him on the way...

Since Frank's incident, Honey and himself have worked together well and have enjoyed each other's company very much so. Their duties are shared out, so Frank feels useful while Honey can get more used to the railway. Everyone else was quite surprised with how quick Frank had changed since the incident and how well he was keeping his anger levels down. Although, some felt it wouldn't last for long as surely something would make Frank lose his cool again, but would it happen?


	2. Tea Rex

Lee's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

Stories

**Tea Rex**

Rex the little green engine on the Arlesdale Railway can be an arrogant engine at times, but there is one duty above all the others that makes him mellow for some reason. This duty is the Tea and Milk Float train that is taken during the sprightly Spring and scorching Summer that Sodor can have. Here, the Floats are taken to the many Picnic Areas in and around the Arlesdale area. The Refreshment Lady is the main receiver of these Floats, but her sister, the Tea Lady is also there waiting for Rex every time the Floats are out on service. Without him, they wouldn't get their Tea and Milk, and without them, the customers simply wouldn't be happy, and that cannot be accepted.

It may not have been a sprightly Spring day this day, but Rex was eager for the Tea and Milk Float to be up and ready, but it took a lot of persuading until the Railway's leader, Mr. Fergus Duncan finally agreed.  
"This Spring is going to be a very wet one, Rex. I hope you understand that today, although sunny is not the weather for the Floats, but I am letting you off just this once!" he boomed down at Rex.  
"Yes, Sir..." beamed Rex. "I'll prove my worth!" and he soon set off to the Transfer Yards where he saw the Dairy Farm Owner with some shiny new tankers.  
"Hello there Rex!" he smiled. Rex didn't reply as his eyes were fixated on the new shiny Tankers beside the Dairy Farm Owner.  
"What are these here for?" asked Rex as he pointed his eyes toward the new Tankers.  
"The Tea and Milk Float, Rex..." came the reply. "The old one's had gone rusty and were starting to get holes in them...they needed replacing!"  
"Oh..." said a disappointed Rex. "I liked them a lot..."  
"So did I..." said the Dairy Farm Owner. "But the Refreshment Lady, the Tea Lady and I agreed that new Tankers were needed, and here they are!" Rex still didn't look impressed and as they were loaded onto his train. He missed the old, not so shiny and rusty ones and to him, they had a heritage and character, something the new ones certainly didn't have, but he carried on. The day went ahead fine and the Tankers were hailed as a successful buy, but Rex had lost interest in the duty now. He didn't want to do it without the old Tankers, and the Refreshment Lady saw this.  
"Cheer up, lad!" she said. "The old can't keep going! Those Tankers had had their day! Think of it as if they're retired now, they'll be very happy..."  
"But I'm not..." said Rex and he slowly set off with a very apparent frown on his face.  
"Oh dear..." sighed the Refreshment Lady. "This isn't good news at all..."

As Spring continued, it appeared that Mr. Duncan had predicted very wrong with regards to the weather. The supposedly 'wet spring' that was meant to happen never did. Every day was nice and rain-free, and this meant more and more use of the Tea and Milk Floats. Rex was still the engine in charge of the duty, but he really didn't enjoy it at all now. The only thing that made him smile was poor Mike getting his carriages full of spill Tea and Milk.  
"Oh dear..." he moaned. "Not again!"  
"Serves him right..." smiled Rex, but that was the only smile he did now throughout the duty and his lack of interest even meant that on some days, he let Bert and Jock take the duty altogether.  
"What's wrong, lad?" said his Driver one morning. "Something isn't right with you..."  
"I still miss the old Tankers..." sighed Rex. He looked over in the distance and could see them on their side gathering dust to go with their holes and rust. To him, this looked awful and his driver understood completely, but there was nothing he could do. Then a message came from a nearby signalman.

"Bert has broken down..." he said. "And no-one else is available for the Floats, so its been assigned to you Rex. Hope that's fine!" he continued as he then walked off. Rex didn't look impressed at all.  
"That's just typical..." he moaned.  
"We've still got to do it, lad..." said his driver, and soon enough, he and the fireman clambered onboard and went to the station where the Floats were waiting. However, at the station, no-one had noticed that when Frank the Diesel had the put the Floats into place, some of his oil had leaked and was still very much on the line, and this would be very slippy. As no-one knew, Rex came toward the station with a frown on his face but also a blissfully unaware one. He then found out about the oil all too late.  
"Ooh..." cried Rex as his wheels slipped on the oil. "What was that?"  
"Trouble!" called his driver who tried to apply the brakes, but it was too late. SMASH went Rex into the Float and Tea and Milk spilled out. Some went up high and the rest went onto the tracks. It poured out so quickly that no-one could stop it all trickling out. The Tankers were soon empty, but they were badly damaged too. Rex's front buffers were slightly dented, but that was the most of the damage as luckily no-one had been hurt, but with the Float destroyed, what would happen now?

"What a disaster!" cried the Refreshment Lady. "We can't supply the customers with any Milk or Tea at all now! They won't be happy in the slightest!" and as the news spread, they certainly weren't.  
"That's spoiled the day!" said one.  
"I'm making a formal complaint!" cried another. Quick-thinking action had to happen now to save the situation and between everyone at the station, they came up with an idea. The newly-damaged Tankers were quickly taken away and the old ones were soon put in place. The dust was brushed off them and the holes were sealed as quickly as possible. Men rode on bicycles to the Dairy Farm to get more Milk while the Refreshment Lady and the Tea Lady went door to door in the local area to get the residents making as much Tea as possible. Soon, the boiling and whistling of Kettles dominated the area and in no time, people came to the Tankers and fill them up. After a few goes each, the Tankers were full and everyone was happy. Everyone applauding each other and Rex smiled as a small community had joined together when needed. He was also smiling as he now got his wish about having the old Tankers back, and soon enough when the new Milk was brought and filled into the Tankers, Rex set off.

He soon arrived at the main Picnic Area where the Refreshment Lady and Tea Lady were bombarded by many customers all wanting their fix of Tea and Milk. Again Rex smiled and felt like he used to when he took this Floats. He felt wonderful and he crew were glad to see him smile once again. The Refreshment Lady noticed aswell and spoke to him when she was on a break.  
"Told you that you'd been alright in the end, didn't I?" she joked to him.  
"Oh yes!" beamed Rex. "I won't complain ever again about this duty as to me, it is by far the most magnificent duty on our Railway!" His crew, the Refreshment Lady and Tea Lady all agreed and still to this day, Rex enjoys the duty better than any other, and he wants to keep it that way!


End file.
